Indigenous Graduation Ceremony – June 14, 2024

On Friday, June 14, 2024, the Indigenous Education Team, along with cherished teachers and family members, gathered to celebrate six of the eleven Indigenous students graduating from Gulf Islands Secondary School this year. 

Call on Witnesses

Staff drummed the students into the hall, entering under cedar bows. Following a traditional welcome and land acknowledgment, four witnesses were called: Brad Bunyan, Emilie Sipos, Jill Jensen, and Jeannine Georgeson. Witnesses are called to be the keepers of history during events of historic significance. This tradition honors the oral traditions of Indigenous Peoples and recognizes the importance of conducting business and building and maintaining relationships. Witnesses, being honored and respected guests, validate the event, provide it with legitimacy, and are tasked with retaining and caring for the history they witness, sharing it with their communities when they return home. 

Blanket Ceremony

The graduates were invited to participate in a private blanketing ceremony. Blanketing holds special significance in Indigenous society, symbolizing respect for those who have made important contributions to the community. In the ceremony, the respected guest is draped with special blankets. This act honors individuals for their achievements, contributions, or significant life events, marking important transitions such as births, marriages, and other milestones. Blankets represent protection, security, and the enfolding embrace of the community or ancestors. The blanketing ceremony embodies respect, honor, healing, and cultural continuity. 

After the ceremony, the graduates were welcomed back into the hall with the singing and dancing of the Cowichan Tzinquaw Dancers' paddle song. This song was traditionally sung by the tribe on their canoes, announcing their peaceful approach to a neighboring camp. 

Presenting of Feathers & Certificates

Graduates were honored with a gift of a wooden eagle feather. In Indigenous cultures, an eagle feather holds profound spiritual and cultural significance, representing a strong connection to the Creator or the spiritual world. Receiving an eagle feather is one of the highest marks of respect and honor, given in recognition of achievements, acts of bravery, or significant contributions to the community. Gifting these youth with eagle feathers is a deeply meaningful acknowledgment of their character and deeds. 

Honoring Words

Family members were invited to speak to their youth. Words are considered good medicine, and speaking to children about their future successes lays a path of words for them to follow and pick up along their life’s journey. This heartfelt process brought tears to many eyes. 

Call on Witnesses

The witnesses were called on to recount what they had observed during the ceremony. 

Closing Words & Food Blessing

The youth blessed the food by drumming, and everyone joined in a shared meal, closing the ceremony through the act of sharing food. 

The Indigenous Graduation Ceremony celebrates the achievements of Indigenous graduates. Focusing on community, the ceremony serves as a unique space for students to honor family, friends, faculty, staff, and administrators who supported their journeys while recognizing and celebrating the extraordinary efforts of each graduate in achieving their educational goals.